Anthropology PYQs

Every question UPSC has set in Anthropology since 1981, 812 in all. Open one to see how to tackle it, or write an answer and have it checked.

812 questions

202656 questions

Paper I10 marks

Health as a cultural construct

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Canalization and catch-up growth

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Myth as oral literature

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Genetic polymorphism and natural selection

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Ethnoarchaeology and classical archaeology

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

What is meant by a somatotype? Discuss the Heath-Carter anthropometric method, giving its advantages over that of Sheldon’s method. How can somatotyping be applied in sports sciences?

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

How do religious beliefs help people to devise cultural mechanisms to adapt to their environment? Discuss in detail with appropriate examples.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

How is the theory of structuralism helpful in understanding the concepts of caste and gender?

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

How do the concepts of power, authority, legitimacy and social control change with changing political organization? Discuss in detail giving suitable examples.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Human evolution is a product of both biological and cultural factors. Elaborate.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Give the distribution of Palaeolithic sites around the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan areas, highlighting the typo-technologies of the tools.

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

Discuss the phylogenetic status, characteristic features, geographical distribution and lifeways of Paranthropus.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Discuss ‘incest taboo’ as the basis of development of kinship systems in human societies.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Numerical chromosomal aberrations can be due to abnormalities in autosomes as well as sex chromosomes. Elaborate in terms of the effects these have on human body, giving suitable examples.

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Ethics in anthropological fieldwork

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Distinguishing features of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Feminist movement and family

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Anthropometry in ergonomics

Write an answer

Paper I10 marks

Thermoluminescence dating method

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

How would you find out that a particular disease/disorder is inherited and, if so, in which manner? Elaborate with suitable examples.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Critically discuss how culture determines human behaviour in the light of Leslie White’s theory.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

What are Strepsirhini Primates? Describe their geographical distribution and mention the characteristics that distinguish them from Haplorhini Primates.

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

Discuss the mixed method approach in anthropological research.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

What do you understand by fertility and mortality? How are these influenced by biological and socio-ecological factors?

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Write a detailed note on the characteristic features, chronology, geographical distribution, tool types and lifeways of Magdalenian cultural tradition of Europe.

Write an answer

Paper I20 marks

Compare Edmund Leach’s structuralism with interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz.

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

In what manner is our understanding of serogenetics and cytogenetics useful in reproductive biology? What are the major ethical issues involved in reproductive technology?

Write an answer

Paper I15 marks

Discuss, with appropriate examples, how basic personality types may lead towards building up of national character.

Write an answer

Paper II10 marks

Dravidian language family and its tribal speakers.

Write an answer

Paper II10 marks

Seed Eaters Model of hominid differentiation.

Write an answer

Paper II10 marks

Tana Bhagat movement.

Write an answer

Paper II10 marks

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of the islands.

Write an answer

Paper II10 marks

Kumar Suresh Singh’s contribution in studying tribal movements.

Write an answer

Paper II20 marks

What are the major debates related to the concept of jajmani system?

Write an answer

Paper II15 marks

‘Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan aims to meet some of the Sustainable Development Goals’. Discuss.

Write an answer

Paper II15 marks

What are the evidences available regarding crops and domesticated animals of Indus Valley Civilization? What are the views of the scholars regarding Indus script?

Write an answer

Paper II20 marks

Critically examine the salience of F. G. Bailey’s study on Bisipara village of Odisha.

Write an answer

Paper II15 marks

Discuss the impact of Christianity on the tribal population of Jharkhand.

Write an answer

Paper II15 marks

Discuss with examples, how general comparative analogy has been used for ethnoarchaeological studies in India.

Write an answer

Paper II20 marks

Write an account on the contribution of Verrier Elwin in developing policies for the tribal populations in post-independent India.

Write an answer